Hermione's Rebel
by blueangel994
Summary: If you've ever read one of those ff's where Hermione goes wacko and decides to go out w Malfoy and hates Harry and Ron and her true destiny is to be in Slytherin...well...here's another one.
1. Chapter 1: Strange Illusion

**A/N:** Hellew and welcome to my millionth fanfiction story. This is another one of those teenie-bopper stupid "I-want-to-take-control-of-HP-life" fan fictions. So. If you care to read those…here it is. If not…you don't have to. Here's the complete summary

Hermione keeps having visions of herself except in these visions…she's_ not_ herself. In the visions she keeps having she's wearing outrageous clothes she would never be caught dead but also there's a shadow figure of somebody in her dreams…

Meanwhile somebody is stalking her. She knows somebody's stalking her, but she doesn't know who or why. She keeps getting odd messages from someone with spiky handwriting and eventually does find out…

In the end Harry and Ron betray her trust and she turns to someone she would have never normally turned to…

Those of you that want to please enjoy!

_**Hermione's Rebel**_

**Chapter one:** _Strange Illusion_…

_Hermione knew she was asleep, but she couldn't wake herself up. It was as if someone were forcing her eyelids closed so she would stay asleep. But then curiosity took over her. She wanted to see herself again just to have a laugh because she knew she'd never look like that…_

_A bushy-headed girl suddenly came into focus; a girl that Hermione would see if she looked into the mirror. Except there was one difference. The girl she was focusing on had a sour expression; and evil one almost and had on skimpy clothes Hermione knew she'd never wear. A bright pink belly shirt that looked as if it were all torn up, then a leather miniskirt that barely even covered what it was meant for. Her outfit finally ended with black, strappy high-heeled sandals. _

_Something suddenly jumped into her arms; it was a black cat that looked as sour and evil as she did. _

_There was no sound to this movie, just action. Hermione was moving her mouth, but she couldn't hear what she was saying. _

_This troubled her greatly._


	2. Chapter 2: Meeting at King's Cross

**A/N:** I must've not posted this like a I meant to and posted the first chapter twice on accident. Sorry. Well, here's the real second chapter.

**Chapter two: **_Meeting at King's Cross_

Hermione walked as quickly as she could toward the barrier between platforms nine and ten. She _had_ to make it… there was no way she couldn't. But she only had a minute left to cross through the barrier, hand her things over to a ticket man and actually get on the train. iThen/i there was the unlikely sport of finding Harry and Ron who probably didn't even get onto the same car as she did.

"Have fun at school this year, dear!" her mother called. Hermione only waved to her as she hurried over to platform nine and three-quarters.

"Move it!" came a nasty voice from behind her as Hermione felt herself being pushed to the side.

"Hey! I need to get moving or my train will…" she began as the blond boy who had pushed her turn around.

There was a surprised expression on his face for a moment and Hermione could tell that her eyes were wide as well.

He quickly regained his composure, "Yeah, well let your superiors go ahead of you…mudblood!" he spit as he leaned through the barrier.

Hermione sighed, "Shove it, Malfoy," she said to herself as she ran through the barrier, hoping he was still standing there.


	3. Chapter 3: Ron's Worst Memory

**A/N:** I should've said this to start out with, but this is a 6th year…another one of my 6th year fictions. Anyway, I also started it before the 6th book came out, just keep that in mind. That's why Voldemort's past in the 6th book and Voldemort's past in this fiction will not add up. Just fyi.

**Chapter Three:**_ Ron's Worst Memory_

Hermione quickly found Harry and Ron, thankfully having no more meetings with Malfoy.

"How has your summer been, Harry?" she asked, shutting the compartment door and sitting next to Ron.

"Oh just dandy, thanks for asking," he sarcastically said, gazing out of the window.

Hermione looked over at Ron to ask what Harry's problem was, but that question was immediately thrown from her mind as she looked at Ron's face.

"What happened to you?" she asked, causing Harry to also look at Ron.

Ron suddenly looked self-conscious, "Do I have pimples?" he asked.

"No," she answered, trying hard not to laugh, "You've got these great round things all over your face.

She saw him visibly relax, "Oh, those," he said, grinning, "Those are from the brain that we ran into in the Department of Mysteries," he explained.

Hermione laughed, "Oh really?" she asked, "And how does it feel to be memified?" she asked.

He gave a short laugh, "Great actually. It feels as if you'll never be sad again. The exact opposite of Dementors, to be honest," he pulled up his sleeves and frowned at the marks he had there, "But they leave great ugly marks all over your body."

Hermione had a sudden thought. Maybe if she could try…just once…

She quickly took out her wand and pointed it at one of the round marks, causing Ron to look utterly terrified, "Videmus," she muttered.

The lights in their compartment suddenly dimmed and a silhouette protruded from the mark.

The point of view was from someone who had a child-like voice; presumably a boy.

"I'm going to be the most powerfullest wizard ever!" the voice declared as a man walked into the room.

"Now now, Tom, you know we don't speak of such things in this house hold," he scolded.

"But mummy does," he said with a pout in his voice.

"That's because mum is a witch. _You_ are not," he said, wiping off a wooden table.

The boy walked over and whispered, "Mummy said I'm going to a school in six years. A _special_ school."

The man stopped and looked down on the boy, "Did she mention a name?" he quietly asked.

"Warthog's!" he happily exclaimed.

Hermione let a laugh out as the man smiled, "Hogwarts, dear."

"No no no, it's Warthog's," he said.

The man smiled again as the memory vanished.

Ron smiled at Hermione, "Do it again!" he said, looking excitedly down at the memories.

"I don't think…" Harry began, but was interrupted.

"You're no fun these days, Harry," Ron said, "Do it to another one, Hermione," he said, pulling his sleeve up further.

Hermione nodded and pointed her wand to another one, "Videmus," she whispered as another silhouette jutted out.

This time the "camera" focused on a teenage boy. Hermione had never seen him before, but when she looked over at Harry she knew he had.

He looked harmless, but soon his friendly expression turned to anger and looked dangerous.

"You've had too many warnings, it's time that you learned…" he said, raising his wand, "CRUCIO!" he yelled as screams of pain issued from some where off of the picture. Both Hermione and Ron jumped.

The screams stopped, "I've told you to stop associating with them. I've told you too many times, Peter," he said.

"I promise! No more!" the other boy screamed, "I promise!"

The first boy smiled, and lowered his wand, "You shall be my first follower."

The scene vanished again and Hermione looked over at Ron, "What was that all about?" she asked with narrowed eyes.

He shrugged, "Let's try another one."

"No," Harry suddenly said.

Hermione looked over at him and saw that he was paler than Peeves, "Harry, are you alright?" she asked.

"Don't do another one," he said.

"Come on, Hermione, it's not that bad. So what, a student wasn't following the school rules; we don't either."

Hermione looked from one of her friends to the other, finally making her decision.

Once again she pointed her want to a round mark on Ron's arm, muttering "Videmus" and once again a silhouette arose from it.

A man in a dark, hooded cloak had his wand out and was pointing to a sobbing lady. The lady looked as if she were trying to hide or keep something from him.

"Hand him over," the man said.

"No, no take me instead," she cried.

Hermione's stomach dropped as the woman pleaded some more. She knew this memory. She knew exactly what is was and _who's_ it was.

She felt shivers go down her arms as a spell hit the woman and she fell silent and still.

The man turned his wand toward a baby who was now sitting on the ground, smiling happily up at the man.

"AVADA CADAVRA!" he yelled. A stream of light hit the boy in the forehead, but just as if it had hit a mirror, it bounced back at him.

All around the him the house fell to bits and pieces…something Hermione wouldn't expect anyone to survive if she hadn't known better.

"NOOOOOOOOOO!" he yelled, shrinking, "NOOOOOOOOOO!"

A few seconds later a fat little man snuck into the rubble, squeaked frightfully at the sight and said, "Master?"

"Pick me up, Wormtail. I need nourishment," said the shrunken man in a weak voice.

The scene faded but the lights did not come back on.

Hermione looked over at Harry and saw he was even paler and two tears were coursing down his face.

"It's his," he whispered, "His…"


	4. Chapter 4: Another Professor Enemy

**A/N:** And here's another chapter…

**Chapter Four:** _Another Professor Enemy_

Hermione sat stunned.

"His?" Ron asked, completely clueless.

"Ronald, it's obvious. It was Voldemort's memories that attacked you. So now you have his memories all over you."

"Oh," he said, peering wide eyed at the marks all over his arms and visibly shivering with disgust.

"But wait," Hermione said, "Who was the little boy and the teenager?" she asked.

"Tom Riddle," Harry quietly said, "Tom Marvolo Riddle," he repeated.

"Of_course_!" Hermione whispered, smiling, "Because you fought Tom four years ago!

Harry slightly nodded, but didn't say anything else.

"What did Madam Pomphrey say about those last year?" Hermione asked Ron.

"That they should stop hurting, which they have, and that they won't totally go away. Obviously," he added as an after thought, examining them.

The compartment door suddenly slammed open, "What in the bloody hell have you three been doing in here?" Malfoy shouted, looking frightened.

Hermione felt her eyes widen for a second time that day, "Oh no, did everybody hear?" she asked.

"_I _could hear it all the way at the other side of the train!" he yelled.

"Oh no, that's not good," she muttered.

"It sounded as if you were torturing someone," he spit, looking at Ron, "I hope it was Granger."

Some one snickered and although Hermione couldn't see who it was, she still knew.

"That's none of you business now, is it Malfoy?" Hermione said, standing up, "So get out and leave us alone," she threatened, pulling her wand out.

Malfoy looked her up and down, making her uncomfortable, "Mudblood," he whispered, glaring at her, then turned on his heal and stalked off to him compartment which _was_, to Hermione's surprise, at the complete opposite end of the car.

She sat back down and closed the compartment door.

"Was it _really_ that loud?" Ron asked her.

"I didn't think so," Hermione said, "But if everyone on the train could her it…" she let her sentence trail.

"Everyone must know what it was," Harry whispered.

Hermione shook her head, "No, I doubt it."

A few hours later they arrived at Hogwarts and rode the horseless carriages up to the castle. This year it wasn't stormy; but the dark clouds above them were threatening otherwise.

"Harry are you sure you're alright?" Hermione asked him. She had been worrying about him all summer since Sirius had died, but the memory of Ron's had to have crossed the line somehow.

Harry nodded, not taking his eye off of the window.

Hermione looked over at Ron, who shrugged and also looked away.

She sighed knowing that this was going to be a tough year.

The carriage ride to the castle wasn't very long at all, but Hermione some how managed to fall asleep along the journey…

_There she was again; the evil side of herself. Just standing there. But suddenly she stirred and looked around to where a shadow of a man stood. Or at least… that's what it looked like. He was very tall and looked well-built. _

_"Come to me…" he said in an odd voice, "Stay away from them, they mean harm…come to me…"_

_She recognized the voice, and she associated danger with it yet… she didn't know whose it was…_

"HERMIONE!" she heard two voices yell.

She suddenly jerked awake, a piercing head ache pounding in her head. It was now pouring rain and Harry and Ron were standing out side in it.

"Here already?" she tiredly asked, grabbing Crookshanks cage and hopping out of the carriage. She produced a shielding charm above their heads so they would no longer become wet from the rain.

"Hermione are you alright?" Harry worriedly asked her.

"I'm fine, why?"

Ron also gave her a concerned expression, "You were groaning in your sleep. Something about, 'I know him, I know him…'" he let his sentence trail off.

Hermione suddenly realized she couldn't remember a single thing about the dream she had just had. She knew she had one, but she couldn't remember the slightest bit of what it was about.

"I was dreaming that I saw Voldemort at the supermarket and I was yelling, telling people that I knew him, that I knew he was evil," she quickly lied. It was as good excuse as any.

"Erm…alright," Harry said as they walked in to the Great Hall and took their places at the Gryffindor table.

Hermione stared fixedly at the staff table up front.

"Where's Dumbledore," she said, making it more of a statement than a question.

Harry and Ron also looked up at the table and saw there was no Dumbledore, "Dunno," Ron said, sadly staring back at his empty plate.

Hermione felt her eyes narrow, "He's got to be somewhere around here," she said just as McGonagall tapped her fork on her goblet, causing the whole Hall to hush up.

The first years were lead in by Hagrid this year as McGonagall stood up.

Hagrid stopped and turned around to look at the group, "Er…this sorting hat up here will sort all of yeh into yer houses, whicher Hufflepuff, Ravenclaw, Gryffindor, and Slytherin."

Hermione looked over at the Slytherin table and burned up when she saw Malfoy crossing his eyes and scratching his head, making fun of Hagrid.

"Oh, if I ever get a hold of him again…" she let her sentence trail as Hagrid sat at the staff table, shoulders slumped, and McGonagall gave the greeting for the new school year.

"It's not the same as with Dumbledore, is it?" Ron asked, squinting to see McGonagall.

: "I welcome you all to a new year at Hogwarts," she said to the Hall at large, then shifted her attention to the first years, "When I call your name you will simply sit on that stool and you will be sorted into your houses. Armando, Nicholas!"

A very weedy looking boy carefully walked up to the front and sat on the stool while McGonagall placed the hat on his head.

The hat took a moment to decide, but finally shouted, "RAVENCLAW!"

Hermione turned back to Harry and Ron, "Where dyou suppose he went?" she asked.

"Maybe he got into a duel," Ron said

"And what's that supposed to mean?" Hermione said.

"Well…maybe he…you know, died?" Ron asked.

"Ronald!" Hermione scolded, "Don't say such things! And anyway, if Dumbledore died it wouldn't be from a curse because he is the greatest wizard in the world. He knows how to block Avada Kadavra," she said.

Ron turned to Harry, "But…I thought Moody said that there _was_ no counter jinx for that…"

"There isn't, but that just goes to prove how great a wizard Dumbledore really is. If he died, it would be from natural causes," she concluded.

Ron suddenly looked sad.

"What's the matter?" she asked him.

"This year isn't going to be the same with Fred and George gone…" he said.

Ginny too, looked as if her two older brothers had died.

Well, I suppose they can meet us on a Hogsmede visit or two," Hermione cheerfully said.

Ron looked a bit happier with that thought, then looked up at the staff table which reminded Hermione that they, once again, had a new Defense Against the Dark Arts teacher.

Ron squinted, "I wonder who's going to be brave enough…" he started as a hissing voice interrupted him from the neighboring Slytherin table.

"_You_ don't know who the new teacher is?" Draco Malfoy asked.

Ron looked at him as if he were the dirtiest thing in the world, "No, dyou?" he asked.

Malfoy turned back to Crabbe and Goyle, had a moment's whispered conversation with them, then once again faced Harry, Hermione and Ron.

"The new teacher this year will be the best teacher ever. In fact, he will be better than dear old Professor Umbridge," he suddenly looked like Ron and Ginny had looked a few moments ago and Hermione pitied him until she heard what he had to say, "It's a pity she was driven off. The changes she made…well…at least _this_ guy has the power to do it without the Minister's approval."

Hermione turned to Ron and Harry, curiosity showing on both of their faces, "Well then, where is he?" she asked Draco, "Shouldn't he be sitting up there with the other Professors?" she asked as Dumbledore took his seat.

Malfoy laughed, "What, do you think he likes to be in Dumbledore's company? Dyou think my father's really _that_ crazy?"


	5. Chapter 5: Rumors

**A/N:** Ok, as I understand it there was a little mix up with this chapter, so I've corrected my mistake.

**Chapter Five**: _Rumors_

"Abbot, Nicole," McGonagall continued.

A girl, who was a spitting image of Hannah Abbot, timidly walked up and sat on the stool, quickly growing red in the face. The hat was placed on top of her head, but she was quickly pronounced a Hufflepuff and went to sit with her older sister.

Hermione heard Ron and Harry whispering behind her and shushed them.

"Hermione, there are much more important things to discuss rather than watching stupid first years being sorted," Ron defiantly whispered to her.

"Just be quiet," she said as "Axenal, Rose" was sorted into Ravenclaw.

"I don't know about you," he angrily whispered to her, "But I don't want Malfoy's father teaching me the dark arts."

She turned around to face him as a Rachael was called up to be sorted.

"At this point I could really care less about who is teaching what!" she hurriedly whispered, "I'm trying to pay attention to the sorting because something this summer was brought to my attention and I want to see if the rumors are true!"

"What rumors?" Ron asked, temporarily forgetting his argument.

"Never you mind," Hermione said, turning back to the front as a girl with jet black hair was sorted into Slytherin.

"Hermione, do they have to do with me?" Harry worriedly murmured as "Byzantine, Justin" was sorted into Ravenclaw

Hermione shook her head, "Not directly anyway. I'll tell you when I find out if it's true or not because I don't want to start a rumor when I don't actually know.

Ron and Harry were silent for the rest of the sorting for which Hermione was grateful.

She finally turned to the two boys as "Zachariah, Phineaus" was sorted into Hufflepuff.

"I'll tell you once the feast begins," she whispered as McGonagall took her seat.

Dumbledore stood up, "I would like to say a few words before we begin the feast. First of all, I apologize for my tardiness, I had some business to attend to and I wasn't watching the time. Finally, let the feast begin," he finished.

Food magically appeared on the tables around them and Hermione heard all the first years gasp in awe.

Harry frowned, "What's wrong?" Hermione asked him. She noticed that this was the frequently asked question of the day.

He looked down one side of the Gryffindor table, then down the other and looked darkly at Hermione, leaning towards her. Ron automatically also leaned in.

"Nobody was sorted into our house this year."

Hermione quickly straightened up and also looked around just as Harry had and noticed the same thing.

"Odd," she said, "Very odd indeed."

"Maybe we can ask Dumbledore…" Ron began.

"No," Harry quickly said, piling chicken legs onto his plate, "He doesn't need anyone else to bother him. Besides, if he's not here you can't exactly ask him."

Ron turned to Hermione, "Was that the rumor you heard, then?" he asked.

Hermione shook her head, "No, I heard that Sirius had a daughter and that she was coming to Hogwarts, but I didn't hear anybody sorted like that, so I'm assuming it's not true," she said through a mouthful of mashed potatoes.

"It can't be," Harry said, cutting into his chicken, "Sirius was never married and he certainly didn't have any children."

"You don't know that Harry," Ron began, but he caught Hermione's warning look and his sentence trailed away into nothing.

Harry was on the point of blowing up anyway, he didn't need Ron's help doing so.

"So, if he had a daughter, wouldn't she have been sorted into Gryffindor?" he asked.

Hermione nodded, "Logically anyway. It's not always necessarily true."

"But we don't have any first years this year," he said.

"Exactly," she answered, "That's why I don't think the rumor is true and plus, I never heard a 'Black' sorted."

"Well, she could be going by a different name, you know," Ron said.

"It's possible, but I don't think so. Either way, I don't want this rumor beyond us because we know it's not true."

Both Ron and Harry nodded in agreement.


	6. Chapter 6: YSA

**A/N:** Here's the next one. There is a little part in here that is _not_ my idea, but JKR's (I think it's obvious enough to recognize) so just for the record, it was not my idea. Thank yall for reading and pretty please review!

Chapter Six: _YSA_

Hermione barely remembered going up to Gryffindor tower and getting into bed. Her whole memory was fuzzy during that period of time and she couldn't figure out why.

When she woke up the next morning Parvati was standing over her.

"What?" Hermione tiredly ask, slowly standing up.

"You were saying odd things in your sleep last night," she quietly said, looking around at the others who were all asleep.

Hermione's heart beat quicker; she had another dream last night, "What did I say?"

"Something about that git Malfoy," she said.

Hermione was suddenly breathless, "Oh?" she asked, "Yeah; just had a really weird dream, that's all," she said, peeling the covers off of herself and throwing her legs over the side of the bed.

"What was it about?" Parvati asked, looking very expectant.

Hermione sighed and looked away, wondering if she should make up some cock-and-bull story to make her happy.

_It's not use if she heard things I said last night_, she reasoned to herself, _who knows what she heard?_

She sighed again and looked back at Parvati, "I had a dream that Malfoy somehow got Vol…sorry…You-Know-Who and the Death eaters into the castle and killed Dumbledore; then they all ran off with Snape."

Parvati gasped, "Oh that's horrible Hermione!" she exclaimed

_And you don't even know the half of it,_ Hermione thought.

"Well," Parvati said, bringing a scroll out from behind her back, "A note came for you earlier. I took the liberty of getting it for you so the owl could get something to eat. Here you are," she said, handing it to Hermione.

Hermione curiously opened it, revealing a spiky scrawl that she could barely read. Once she could decipher it, it said, "Hermione, I thought I'd let you know my true feelings for once. I've been watching you for years but I haven't said anything about it. I often enjoy your company, even if it is for short bits of time, and I can't keep it to myself any longer. I don't want to meet quite yet, I want you to get to know me through owl mail first so you're not surprised when we ido/i meet. You're Secret Admirer."

She read it through three times before smiling and rolling it back up.

"Well?" Parvati asked as Ginny came through the door way.

"Well what?" she asked, sitting between them on Hermione's bed.

"Hermione got some mail today," Parvati explained.

"Oh? I imagine it's just your parents checking up on you," Ginny said.

Hermione blushed, "Ginny, tell your brother nice try but no cigar."

Ginny's eyes widened in surprise, "What?" she asked, grabbing the note from her hand. She laughed, "It's not from Ron," she said, reading it once, then handing it back.

Hermione felt herself frown, "How dyou know?" she asked.

"Well, for one, he doesn't have handwriting as nice as that and second of all, no offense, but he fancies some fifth-year. I think her name is Sasha or something."

Hermione cocked an eyebrow, " 'Sasha'?" she asked.

Ginny nodded, "I saw him making eyes at her in the hall the other day. Sorry."

"Oh," Hermione said, faking relief, "That's good to know."

"Either way both Ron and Harry are waiting for you down in the common room. They said something about needing help with Divination homework."

Hermione rolled her eyes and grabbed some muggle cloths out of her dresser, "I _told _them that I'm not going to help them with that ridiculous subject anymore."

Lavender, who'd just woken up, glared at her, "It's not 'ridiculous', Hermione. Just because _some_ of us possess the inner-eye more than others doesn't make the subject stupid."

:Hermione sighed and rolled her eyes again, biting her tongue. Without another word she dressed and headed down to the common room, her secret admirer note in hand.

"Brilliant, Ronald, just brilliant. You changed the way you write _and _you seem to have a sensitive soul somewhere in there," she said, grinning as she sat in between the two boys.

"What?" he asked, looking up from his piece of blotted-up parchment.

"I really appreciate the effort you put into this…" she continued as he grabbed the note out of her hand and read it.

His eyes went left to right so quickly that they almost blurred and his expression became disgusted, "Hermione," he said, thrusting it at her, "If I had feelings for you like that, I'd tell you straight out and to your face, I wouldn't keep you guessing."

Hermione felt as though some one had thrown an anvil into her stomach.

"You ok, Hermione?" Harry asked.

Hermione only nodded, standing up and walking through the portrait hole. If it wasn't Ron, she was _sure_ it wasn't Harry, then who could it be?

"What's wrong, Granger? Someone put polyjuice in your cereal?" someone yelled across the Great Hall as she made her way to the Gryffindor table.

She spun around to face the voice, finding Draco Malfoy headed over to her, "I suppose you think it's amusing to do something like that to me, don't you?" she raged, storming up to him, "You think it's entertaining to mess with my mind and my emotions, don't you?" she asked a bit louder, pointing a finger in his face, "Well it's going to come around and bite you in the ass, Malfoy," she said before she could stop herself. She was momentarily let off her guard, surprised that she had said something like that, much less in front of the whole school.

During that short moment she wasn't on her guard, he grabbed her upper-arm and started to drag her out of the Hall.

"_What_ in the name of Merlin is going on?" came McGonagall's voice from behind them.

:Hermione wrenched her arm out of Malfoy's grip as tears welled up in her eyes. She willed herself not to cry, "It's nothing," she muttered, walking past McGonagall and taking her place next to Ginny.

"Wow," said Ginny, "It's about time someone said that to him, I'm just sorry it wasn't me."

Hermione spent a silent moment trying her best not to cry, but she finally threw her arms upon the table and buried her head in them, letting all the tears that were threatening her loose.

"Hermione?" Ginny asked, "Are you alright?"

Hermione shook her head.

"Did Malfoy _really_ send that note to you as a stupid joke?" she asked.

Hermione shrugged

"Come on, wipe those tears away, let's go talk," she continued.

Hermione used the sleeve of her jacket to wipe her face off as she followed Ginny outside. They walked in silence for a short period of time before Ginny signaled for Hermione to sit next to her by the lake.

"Is it because Ron really _didn't _send that note?" she asked, "I know you fancy him, Hermione."

Hermione brought her knees up to her chest and rested her chin on top, "I guess," she quietly said, trying to figure that out for herself. Yes, she liked Ron and she would appreciate the opportunity to go out with him, but was she really jealous that he fancied someone named "Sasha" and that he really _hadn't_ sent that note?

"I don't think Malfoy did it, Hermione," Ginny continued, clearly uncomfortable with the silence. Silence was all Hermione wanted at the moment.

"Why not?" she asked.

"Because if he really did send that as a joke, he would've put his name on it and he would've said something really rude in it. If he _did_ send it, though, it's not a joke. And I think you and Malfoy have as much a chance at hooking up as I do at eating that squid alive."

She smiled, "Who do you think sent it, then?" she asked, looking at Ginny, who wasn't smiling anymore.

"My personal opinion is that it was Harry. That's the only logical explanation, but I don't want to believe it."

Hermione's smile widened, "You fancy Harry still?" she asked.

"Of course I do, but it's not a big deal to me if he never asks me out. It's not like I want to marry him or something."

At that moment an owl fluttered down next to Hermione, who looked at Ginny and found she was looking back at her; a puzzled expression on her face. They both went for it at the same time, startling the owl, Ginny holding it while Hermione tried to untie the note from the panicked bird.

Ginny let go of the owl as Hermione unrolled the piece of parchment finding the same spiky scrawl, "Dear Hermione, I didn't mean to make this seem like a joke. I really do admire you and I hope, despite our differences and our attitudes toward each other in the past, that one day you and I can be a couple. Even if it's for a short amount of time. It's an experience I'd die for if I had to. Please write back to me, it would mean a world and a half if you did. Just send a note back with the owl that delivered this one. YSA."

"YSA?" Ginny asked.

"Your Secret Admirer," Hermione answered, standing up, "Dyou happen to have a quill on you?" she asked.

"No," Ginny answered, "But I have one of dad's stupid muggle pens."

Hermione felt her eyes widen, "Oh, perfect," she said, grabbing it from Ginny and sitting back down, using her leg as something to write on.

"Dear YSA," she began, "I don't know who you are, but I have a hunch. If you don't stop bothering me, I'm going to go to Dumbledore. But answer me one question, are you inside or outside of Hogwarts? Malfoy, if it's you and if you aren't playing some cruel, sick joke on me, then get lost because there is no way in this world that we could be a couple or I could, or would willingly, call you my 'boyfriend'."

"Sounds good to me," said Ginny, reading it over Hermione's shoulder.

"Where'd that owl go?" Hermione asked, looking around.

"I let go of it, sorry."

"It's alright, we can find it in the owlry."

Ten minutes later the two girls were in the owlry, looking for the owl that had delivered the note to her.

"There," said Ginny, pointing to the very top of the owlry.

Hermione coaxed it down and tied the note back onto its leg, "Send this back to the person that sent me that letter," she told it, then watched it fly out of the window, over the Hogwarts grounds, through Hogsmead and out of sight behind the mountains.


End file.
